Shimen Scenic Area

　　The Shimen National Water Conservancy Scenic Area is situated at the mouth of the Ba River Valley, 18 kilometers north of Hanzhong City. Centered around the Shimen Reservoir, it features stunning landscapes and a wealth of historical relics. The "Baoxie Ancient Road, Shimen, and Its Cliff Inscriptions" site — listed by the State Council as one of the first group of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level — is located here.

　　The Bao Valley is characterized by its steep mountains, rugged rocks, verdant peaks, and serene, elegant atmosphere, with scenery that changes with the seasons. Wang Wanxiang, a Qing Dynasty scholar, summarized the area as the "Twenty-Four Scenic Spots of Shimen." The construction of the Shimen Reservoir added even more charm to the valley. The Shimen Reservoir is a large-scale water conservancy project primarily used for irrigation, with a capacity of 105 million cubic meters, irrigating over 500,000 acres of farmland, and generating electricity with an installed capacity of 40,500 kilowatts. The dam stands 88 meters high and stretches 260 meters in length, featuring a double-curvature arch design that is both graceful and majestic. The high gorges and calm waters form a vast reservoir with shimmering waves, where sightseeing boats and speedboats glide along the 17-kilometer-long man-made lake, offering breathtaking views of the landscape. Mountain streams babble, clear springs gush forth, and waterfalls tinkle. The area is rich in aquatic life and birds, with rare species such as the Chinese giant salamander, Chinese softshell turtle, and egrets being the most prized.

　　

　　The Bao Valley and Shimen form a natural three-dimensional museum of culture. Since the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, this area has been a vital transportation hub connecting Central China, the Northwest, and the Southwest. Along the "Shu Road," known as "harder to traverse than ascending to the heavens," the construction of plank roads — hailed as the "Ninth Wonder of the World" — took place, and Shimen marks the most perilous and spectacular section. Here, cultural relics and historical sites are found both on the mountains and beneath the waters. Roads, bridges, water conservancy projects, and the Shimen Tunnel from ancient, modern, and contemporary times are all displayed here. A newly built replica of an ancient plank road, uniquely designed and stretching across steep cliffs, serves as a microcosm of the ancient Baoxie Road. Historical tales such as Xiao He pursuing Han Xin under the moonlight and the strategy of "repairing the plank roads openly while secretly crossing Chen Cang" unfolded here. Zhuge Liang also frequently passed through this area during his northern campaigns against Cao Wei. The Shimen Tunnel, carved during the Eastern Han Dynasty’s Yongping era using the "fire-setting and water-hitting" technique, is the world’s earliest artificially excavated tunnel for vehicular passage. Nearby Shimen features over a hundred cliff inscriptions left by literati and artists since the Han Dynasty. The most famous, the "Thirteen Stone Gate Inscriptions" — hailed as the "Nation’s Soul Treasures" — are regarded by Japan’s calligraphy circles as "Hanzhong Shimen, the Teacher of Japan." Works include Cao Cao’s "Gǔn Xuě" (Rolling Snow), Zhang Liang’s "Yù Pén" (Jade Basin), and Zheng Zizhen’s "Shí Hǔ" (Stone Tiger), all bold and vigorous with fluid brushstrokes. Particularly notable are the "Inscription on the Stone Gate" and the "Eulogy on the Stone Gate," which have long been regarded as models of Chinese calligraphic art. The Lianyun Plank Road, winding along the mountainside of Lianshan, is lined with stone inscriptions that mark the footsteps of ancestors. The submerged Bao Si Pu, believed to be the hometown of Bao Si, the legendary beauty of the Western Zhou Dynasty’s Bao State, lies beneath the waters.

　　The Shanhe Weir was built by Xiao He, Chancellor of the Western Han Dynasty, and completed by Cao Can. For generations, it has irrigated Hanzhong’s fertile lands. In the 1940s, the Bao Hui Canal was constructed on the original site, and in the 1970s, the Shimen Reservoir was built. These three water conservancy projects across different eras have benefited the people of Hanzhong, creating a unique cultural and engineering landscape centered on Hanzhong’s water heritage.

　　

　　Throughout history, the Chicken Head Peak in the Bao Valley has stood tall, piercing the clouds, while the Stone Tiger is said to guard the treasures of Shimen. An old saying goes, "Shimen faces the Stone Tiger; hidden are treasures worth ten million five. Whoever can unlock the mystery can buy the entire Hanzhong Prefecture." Shimen is steeped in profound historical and cultural significance. Ancient relics such as the ancient Bao State, the ancient Baoxie Plank Road, the ancient Lianyun Plank Road, the ancient Shimen, the ancient Shanhe Weir, the ancient Baocheng Post, and the new Shimen complement each other, making it a comprehensive natural historical museum for studying ancient and modern warfare, transportation, roads, economy, science and technology, water conservancy, calligraphy, and poetry in China. It is also a picturesque tourist destination in southern Shaanxi. With the development of the Western Development Strategy, the Shimen Water Conservancy Scenic Area has undergone comprehensive planning and further development and utilization in accordance with the plan. Visitors from all over are warmly welcome to tour, relax, and vacation in the Shimen Scenic Area of Hanzhong.

　　

　　Address: Hedongdian, Hantai District, Hanzhong City     Phone: 0916-2294212     Admission: 50 RMB (March 1 – November 30); 30 RMB (December 1 – end of February)